


The Reason Is You

by wingsyouburn



Series: Tifa Week 2020 [7]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Found Family, Not Final Fantasy VII Remake Compliant, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:41:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24095248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wingsyouburn/pseuds/wingsyouburn
Summary: Tifa, Barret, and Marlene finally get to take a mini family vacation.
Relationships: Tifa Lockhart/Barret Wallace
Series: Tifa Week 2020 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1729564
Comments: 10
Kudos: 15





	The Reason Is You

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Tifa Week 2020, for the Free Day prompt. The lyric I chose was: _a reason to start over new, and the reason is you. - the reason by hoobastank_

Saving the world was hard work, and even heroes deserved a vacation. 

This wasn’t so much of a vacation as it was a day without work, but either way, Tifa would take it. Marlene had never been outside of Midgar’s city walls and this was the perfect excuse to take her on a trip. She loved seeing the chocobo ranch outside of Kalm, squeeing at the giant yellow birds and demanding to see every single one of them up close. When Barret lifted her up so she could ride one, Marlene’s smile could have lit up the sky. 

Today they’d packed a picnic lunch, spreading a blanket out in the open field. Marlene ran in circles, picking flowers and bringing them shiny rocks and other treasures she found. Tifa smiled, watching the girl play as she leaned back into Barret. In moments like this, she could pretend they were their own little family, the one they’d chosen for themselves. 

His arm wrapped around her, her back to his chest. Tifa was a trained martial artist, and could kick anyone’s ass if she had to. But she always liked Barret being bigger than her. His hugs were the best, and she always felt safe in his arms. He spread his hand against her bare stomach, covering her from ribcage to pubic bone, and she relaxed into his touch. 

Barret’s thumb stroked her skin. “Happy?” he murmured in her ear. 

“Mmmhmm. Very much so. You?” Tifa turned her head and kissed his shoulder. 

“Yeah. It’s peaceful out here. You forget when you got machines hummin’ around ya all the time.” Barret drew a deep breath, eyes closed and tilting his face into the sun. “Could get used to a life like this.” 

“We could.” For a long time, they couldn’t think beyond the immediate future. There was always one more fight, one more attack to plan against Shinra. When Sephiroth’s madness became apparent, it wasn’t like they could simply abandon all they’d worked so hard for. In the end, they saved the planet they were trying to protect. It still felt strange to be able to enjoy it. “Build a little house, with a playroom for Marlene and a view of the open fields.” 

He leaned his head against hers. “Have a garden,” he agreed. “Grow our own veggies. Maybe if she’s helpin’ grow ‘em, Marlene will eat more of them.” 

“And it’ll be nice to have a place to come back to.” For a while, their home had been the bar, and the base beneath it. Now Tifa’s home was right here with Barret and Marlene. 

“I know. Been a while since we had that.” He nuzzled against her cheek, his beard tickling her skin. She didn’t pull away from him. “The planet sounds so happy now.” 

“It does?” Tifa didn’t doubt that Barret could hear the planet, like he’d always claimed. Of course, he also always said it was crying out in pain from what Shinra’s mako reactors were doing to it. He brought it up in every speech he made as leader of Avalanche. Even Marlene claimed to hear it, late at night when she couldn’t sleep. 

But Tifa never had that gift. She just learned not to question it when Barret said he did. 

Barret laced their fingers together, drawing her hand out and off the blanket. “Here,” he said, every movement gentle, like he was still afraid he’d break her after all these years. Tifa loved that he treasured her so, even when he didn’t have to. He pressed their joined hands into the ground, so her palm dug into the dirt. “Quiet your mind,” he murmured, “and listen.” 

Tifa relaxed, doing as she was told. The wind whistled through the long blades of green grass. Marlene babbled to a rabbit she chased around the field. In the distance, birds chirped. A wolf howled. 

And a bee buzzed from flower to flower, collecting pollen. It stopped at a bud mere inches from them, but paid them no mind. In all the traveling they’d done over the last few months, Tifa had yet to see one in person, never mind so close to her. 

“It’s beautiful,” she murmured. 

He chuckled into her neck. “That’s the planet,” he told her. “It’s life, and it hums and thrives and it surrounds all of us. Kinda like the Lifestream, at least, that’s how I’ve always thought ‘bout it. Bein’ in that big steel city, ain’t like you can feel shit from the planet like this. They smothered it all and covered it up like it wasn’t there in the first place.” 

Turning their hands over, Barret uncurled her palm. The bee flew over, as if checking them out. Tifa held her breath, but the bee never landed. Then it flew away to another flower, content on continuing its never ending journey. 

“And when the planet cries?” Tifa was almost afraid of the answer. 

Barret held her tighter. “Silence. So much quiet it fuckin’ hurts in your heart. It’s something I can’t ever forget.” 

Tifa tilted her head back, kissing his neck. “But it’s better now,” she reminded him. “The planet can heal from all that’s been done to it. And we’ll do what we can to help.” 

“Damn right we will.”  He snorted, “Granted, it ain’t anything like what Aerith could do, but I like to think she left it in good hands with us, y’know? Teach Marlene the way it should be and we’ll be alright.” 

Barret was right.  Without Aerith, they might not have been able to stop Sephiroth, and they certainly wouldn’t have been able to stop Meteor from striking the planet. They’d been given a gift, and Tifa didn’t intend to waste it. 

“She’d be proud of us,” Tifa agreed. “Of what we’re doing now. Of just living our lives.” 

He squeezed her to him with his good arm. “And of not letting each other go,” Barret reminded her, ducking his head down to brush his lips over hers. “No more ignoring what’s right in front of our damn faces, either. You and me and Marlene? We’re gonna make this work.” 

They could chase their happiness now, build their lives together in whatever way they saw fit. Aerith would have wanted that. 

And Tifa wanted that too. Not because she wanted to heal the planet, but because it felt right in her heart. She was where she was supposed to be, with Barret and Marlene, finally able to enjoy the future. Before, it had only been a hope, a fever dream. 

Now the future lay before them. Tifa wasn’t going to waste a minute of it. 

**Author's Note:**

> Title also from Hoobastank's "The Reason."


End file.
